Milivojevic Displays Competitive Fire For MSU Despite Tough Loss
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The Michigan State Spartans have lost another game, dropping a winnable contest against the Iowa Hawkeyes, 20-17.
MSU had the lead late in the fourth quarter, but offensive miscues allowed the Hawkeyes to regain possession and capitalize on those opportunities. It was a microcosm of how frustrating this season has been, with Jonathan Smith leading the way.
While winning the game would not have done much for the Spartans, fans have been starved for a victory since late September, but Smith and his team did not give them what they were looking for in a game that the Spartans dominated for much of the second half.
Instead, the Spartans lost again because of the little issues that pile up and become losses, and Smith’s future is almost certainly in danger now.
However, there is one player who cannot be blamed for MSU’s loss, at least in this case: quarterback Alessio Milivojevic.
Alessio Milivojevic's big day
The redshirt freshman completed 25-of-42 passes for 255 yards and two touchdowns with one interception on a blown-up screen play at the end of the first half.
His interception came on a questionable play call, as the Spartans had just 12 seconds to run a play. MSU tried a screen pass, but the Iowa defensive line blew things up on fourth down, and the ball was tipped a few times and picked off by Zach Lutmer.
The play did not result in any points for the Hawkeyes, so the interception did not have much of a negative impact on the game for MSU. As a result, Milivojevic’s one blemish did not cost the Spartans much in the grand scheme of things.
Milivojevic made multiple impressive throws in the game. He connected with Chrishon McCray on a 45-yard touchdown after a turnover, and he found the big-play receiver for another touchdown in the third quarter to give the Spartans a commanding lead near the end of the game.
He also found tight end Jack Velling multiple times, as he caught eight passes for 88 yards. Velling was Milivojevic’s safety valve for much of the game, as he found him wide-open multiple times throughout the contest.
No one knows what the future holds for this coaching staff, but if Smith and his staff return, Milivojevic should have a shot at competing for the starting job. If a new staff member comes in, they should consider retaining them.
Milivojevic looked the part of a starting Big Ten quarterback on the road against one of the best defenses in the country. No one should pin the loss on him.
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Carter Landis studied journalism at Michigan State University, where I graduated in May of 2022. He is currently a sports reporter for a local television station and is a writer covering the Michigan State Spartans